The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) has warned politicians, party leaders and the public that anyone found with a weapon during the Akwatia by-election will be arrested and prosecuted.
On Sunday, in a statement issued by the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), emphasised that improvised weapons, tasers, pepper spray, knives, and machetes pose a threat to peace and stability of Ghana electoral process.
The statement noted, “Anyone found with any form of weapon will be promptly arrested and prosecuted”.
The Small Arms Commission called on politicians and party leaders to set an example by urging their supporters to express their political choices peacefully and lawfully.
“The use of arms or threats of violence must never be tolerated as a means of gaining political advantage”, the statement added.
In a related Akwatia by-election news, the Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of ten suspects and the confiscation of nine weapons in a security operation ahead of the Akwatia by-election.
Reports indicate the weapon consists of a pump-action gun and one locally manufactured single-barreled gun.
The weapons were seized by the Eastern South Regional Police Command in a series of snap checks and targeted operations.
In a series of operations, the Police on August 22, 2025, near the St. Dominic Hospital, intercepted a vehicle driven by Bernard Kumi Ofosu.
A Tulpar double-barrel pump-action gun, four AAA live cartridges, and two blank cartridges were recovered. The suspect produced a licence for the firearm, but is still in custody.
Joshua Amenuku was also arrested at the Akwatia Y-Junction snap check with officers finding 15 live BB cartridges on him, with Police checks at his home finding a Tulpar pump-action gun and more cartridges.
On that same day, Enoch Asiedu and Lu Youyan, a Chinese national, were arrested at the Boadua Livingstone checkpoint.
Pieterson Joseph was arrested on August 23 at the Boadua Livingstone Junction with a pump-action gun and 46 cartridges in his car.
Also, one Stephen Nkansah was arrested after he was intercepted in a Toyota Tundra pickup with registration WR 5535-13 was intercepted with search uncovered three pump-action guns.
In addition, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has already served notice that anyone who comes with arms during the Akwatia by-election will be dealt with by the Police.
The IGP assured the public of the Ghana Police Service’s readiness to provide a safe Akwatia by-election.
IGP Yohuno gave the assurance after the Police Management Board (POMAB) visited the High-Risk Operation Training Centre at Akyerematen on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
According to the IGP, the Ghana Police Service is prepared to safeguard voters, electoral officers, political parties, and the media.
Speaking to recruits at the Police Training School at Kyerematen in the Eastern Region, IGP Yohonu stated, “During the Akwatia by-election, if you come with arms, we (Police) will deal with you with arms.
We have brought men here, and they are trained on how to handle arms. As we are going to the election ground, we decided to come and sharpen our skills for the by-election.
Today, they will move to Akwatia and assess all the threats just to let the country know that we are ready for the election, and all the threats we hear from social media have given us the room to prepare and to remove fear for the electorate in Akwatia that nobody can come here to cause any trouble,” he said.
He added, “We want to assure Ghanaians that the police is ready to handle any type of thing that may come in Akwatia. We are ready with the men. We have the men who can handle this situation, and then our eyes are red for Akwatia and nobody, nobody should think of coming to cause trouble”.
“No political party should mobilise men to come and foment trouble, and nobody should have in mind the intention of snatching a ballot box. We have prepared our men adequately to handle this situation, and that, I informed the political parties as I met them yesterday [Tuesday],” he explained.
See the post below:
Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission declares Akwatia a "no weapon" zone during upcoming by-election… #GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/Zwn8iehWed
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) August 25, 2025